Compactor machines, also variously called compaction machines, are frequently employed for compacting fresh laid asphalt, dirt, gravel, and other compactable work materials associated with road surfaces. For example, during construction of roadways, highways, parking lots and the like, loose asphalt is deposited and spread over the surface to be paved. One or more compactors, which may be self-propelling machines, travel over the surface whereby the weight of the compactor compresses the asphalt to a solidified mass. The rigid, compacted asphalt has the strength to accommodate significant vehicular traffic and, in addition, provides a smooth, contoured surface that may facilitate traffic flow and direct rain and other precipitation from the road surface. Compactors are also utilized to compact soil or recently laid concrete at construction sites and on landscaping projects to produce a densified, rigid foundation on which other structures may be built.
To facilitate the compaction process, compactor machines can include a vibratory mechanism. The vibratory mechanism can help establish a degree of compaction by controlling a vibration amplitude and a vibration frequency. The vibratory mechanism can allow a user to select a target vibration frequency from one or more possible frequencies independent of the vibration amplitude, or may allow a user to select a target vibration amplitude independent of the vibration frequency. Either the vibration amplitude or the vibration frequency can be adjusted while the other remains fixed or uncontrolled. U.S. Pat. No. 4,481,835 describes a system for continuously adjusting the vibration amplitude in order to achieve a desired compaction effect. However, this system fails to consider properties of the material being compacted. As a result, the system is less efficient because multiple passes over the same surface may be required, and the vibration amplitude can cause unintended decoupling to occur, whereby the compactor does not maintain contact with the surface.
Conventional systems have attempted to overcome these deficiencies. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013/0136539 A1 describes a paving system which includes a sensing element for sensing stress-strain, pressure, temperature, moisture level, and/or other paving parameters useful to assess the paving process. The sensing element includes sensors embedded into the paving material which may provide real time measurements for the level of compaction of the paving material. However, this system requires multiple sensors positioned throughout the paving material increasing the complexity of the paving process. Additionally, the embedded sensors can become damaged during paving resulting in inaccurate measurements and/or replacement costs.
Thus, an improved and/or simplified compaction system for compacting a work material is desired to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of compaction.